Jones takes pair of wins

By By Austin Bishop / EMG regional sports director
Jan. 9, 2004
Sometimes the answers to the questions are the same.
In Meridian Community College's 90-85 loss to visiting to Jones Junior College on Thursday night it was no every time.
Did MCC get the big basket when it needed it down the stretch? No.
Could the Eagles keep the Bobcats off the boards and get the important defensive rebound? No.
Was Meridian able to turn it on offensively in the last two minutes when Jones wavered just a little? Again, it was no.
On the other side of the equation, when Jones needed to make a big play, the Bobcats were able to come through.
After trailing by as many as 12 points, Meridian now 9-3 overall and 0-2 in South Division action cut Jones' lead to one at 81-80 on a free throw by Willie Powers with 3:25 left in the game. But Jones scored six of the next eight points to take control of the game down the stretch.
There were three crucial stages in the game.
The first came in the last three minutes of the first half.
Jamall Edmondson, who scored 17 of his 20 points in the first half for MCC, hit a bucket with 2:59 left before intermission to pull the Eagles to within two at 38-36. But Meridian went to sleep defensively and Jones repeatedly beat the Eagles down the floor to outscore them 11-2 down the stretch and take a 49-49 lead into the half.
The next blow came when Edmondson picked up his fourth foul with 13:50 to go in the game.
Mecose Todd picked up the scoring slack for Edmondson, leading the Eagles with 21 points, but MCC was dealt yet another sack when Todd stormed off the court with just over six minutes to go in the contest when he was removed from the game by Meridian head coach George Brooks. Todd did not return to the floor, leaving his jersey behind.
Shedrick Kirk led Jones with 23 points, including a 7-for-8 night from the free throw line, while Marvin McDonald scored 21, Milton Collins 13 and John Gray 12. Tim Broomfield had 10 rebounds for the Bobcats.
Rico Gray followed Todd and Edmondson with 12 points for the Eagles, while Powers added 10.
MCC plays host to Hinds on Monday, while Jones takes on South Division power Copiah-Lincoln the same night.
Jones (women) 95
Meridian 80
The Lady Bobcats of Jones used 58.5 percent first-half shooting from the floor including an 8-for-17 effort from three-point range to roll to a 60-42 lead at the break.
From there Jones controlled the game to take the MACJC South Division win and improve to 7-5 overall and 2-0 in the league.
Former Wayne County standout Natalie Jordan had a big game for the Lady Bobcats, hitting 12-of-18 shots from the floor on the way to a 26-point, seven-rebound effort. Jasmine Versher scored 20 points for the winners, while Sharon Pendarvis added 14 and Brittany Baham hit for 10.
Freshman forward Danielle Cooper stole the offensive show for MCC, now 9-4 overall and 0-2 in South Division play, scored 29 points on near-perfect 12-for-13 shooting from the floor. Chelse Alford added 16 for the Lady Eagles, who return to action at MCC's Ivy Sports Center against Hinds Community College on Monday.